Bubble wand toys have been enjoyed by children throughout the world from one generation to the next. In its simplest form, the bubble wand toy consists of a small ring which can be placed into a jar of soap solution. The soap solution forms a continuous film across the ring when the ring is withdrawn from the jar. If the child then moved the wand through the air or blows gently on the film, a portion of the soap film forms into a bubble that gently floats through the air for several seconds.
Bubble wands traditionally have been very small, with a ring of about one inch in diameter and a handle of a few inches extending from the ring. The prior art bubble wand typically has been sold with a jar of soap solution. The child would merely grip the handle of the bubble wand with one hand and dip the ring into the jar of soap solution. A typical prior art bubble wand of this type is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,514,009 which issued to Raspet on Jul. 4, 1950.
The prior art has included many variations of the above described bubble wand. For example, the prior art has included many toys where the bubble forming ring is an integral part of a supply of soap solution. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,720,723 which issued to Peretti on Oct. 18, 1955 shows a bubble wand apparatus that is integral to the cap on a bottle of soap solution. The bubble wand apparatus includes at least one tube extending through the cap for delivering a supply of the soap solution from the bottle. The ring is defined by a wire and is inserted into the tube extending from the bottle cap. A flap also extends from the cap and is mounted adjacent to the ring. The child using the toy shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,720,723 inverts the bottle to cause some of the soap solution therein to flow through the tube and to spread across the entire periphery of the wire ring. The child then agitates the entire assembly to cause a relative movement between the flap and the ring that generates a flow of bubbles.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,064,387 issued to Campbell on Nov. 20, 1962 and shows an elongated tube bent into a circular ring at one end. The ring includes a complex array of apertures and defines a distributor head for dispensing a soap solution that is transported through the tube. The opposed end of the tube is connected to a supply of the bubble solution, such as a compressible bulb. The soap solution transported through the tube to the distributor head is intended to produce a film across the ring that can generate a stream of bubbles by either waving the entire wand or placing the wand out the window of a moving vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,180,938 issued to LaFata on Jan. 1, 1980 and shows a bubble wand for use with a spill-proof container.
The prior art also includes bubble toys intended to make very large bubbles. For example, French patent No. 1,413,175 which issued on Dec. 31, 1965 shows the combination of a pan for receiving a supply of soap solution and a large molded ring and handle dimensioned for dipping into the pan of soap solution. Although bubble toys of this type can be very effective in creating fairly large bubbles, the molded bubble wand is costly to make and is very fragile. Breakage is likely if the child inadvertently contacts an object while waving the ring. Furthermore, once broken the wand is virtually impossible to repair. A larger sturdier molded ring would be less likely to break. However, a child waving a large sturdy ring could easily injure another child playing nearby. Additionally, a fairly large ring as shown in French Patent No. 1,413,175 accumulates a fairly significant amount of soap solution. The soap solution tends to run down the handle and makes the handle very sloppy and slippery. The very slippery soap solution can cause the wand to slip out of the child's hand, and the fragile ring can break upon falling.
Other toys for making large bubbles have relied upon rigid rods with string or ribbons looped therefrom. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,928,205 which issued Fulton on Mar. 15, 1960 shows a bubble toy comprising a rod and a ribbon looped relative to the rod. The ribbon can be collapsed to one end of the rod and dipped into a large supply of soap solution. The rod and ribbon is then withdrawn from the soap solution and the ribbon is allowed to droop into a generally ring-shaped configuration. The rod and ribbon are the waved to create a bubble in much the same manner as the conventional smaller bubble wand. A similar toy is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,654,017 which issued to Stein on Mar. 31, 1987. Bubble devices of this type require a level of coordination and manipulation that is difficult for a young child to achieve. The rigid rod can be a virtual weapon in the hands of a young child attempting to create a bubble, and injury to a nearby child is likely. Furthermore, the rod of these prior art bubble devices can become very sloppy due to the flow of soap solution down the handle as the rod is employed. An even more complex apparatus of this general type is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,943,255 which issued to Clundt on Jul. 24, 1990. The apparatus shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,943,255 includes two rods and a flexible string, and hence would even be more difficult for a young child to employ.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,808,138 shows a very complex apparatus employing a pair of longitudinally extending strings which are connected by a pair of spaced apart transverse strings. The longitudinally extending strings are connected at one end to a handle and at their opposed end to a roll. The roll is mounted in a container and is biased to roll the longitudinally extending strings thereabout. The container is adapted to store a supply of soap solution. It is intended that the handle may be pulled to unwind the longitudinally extending strings from the roll. It is further intended that a film of soap solution will be formed across the area defined by the longitudinally extending strings and the transverse strings. The entire apparatus may then be moved to generate a bubble. This apparatus is very complex and also would be difficult for a young child to employ. Furthermore, both the handle and the container are likely to become very sloppy due to soap solution that is generated when a bubble breaks.
In view of the above, it is an object of the subject invention to provide a toy for making very large bubbles.
It is another object of the subject invention to provide a toy that can be used easily by a young child.
A further object of the subject invention is to provide a bubble wand of rigid construction for long term use by a young child.
An additional object of the subject invention is to provide a bubble wand that substantially avoids an accumulation of soap material on the handle.
Still a further object of the subject invention is to provide a bubble wand that can be used with a variety of available household receptacles, such as pie pans, cake pans and the like.
Still a additional object of the subject invention is to provide a bubble wand that can be manufactured from readily available stock materials.
Yet a further object of the subject invention is to provide an efficient method for manufacturing a bubble wand.
Another object of the subject invention is to provide a large bubble wand that is very safe to use.